Whales are beautiful animals, they’re elegant and strong. Whales are gentle creatures that need protecting. Whales have a big heart, literally and figuratively. They have been known to adopt dolphins when they are abandoned from their own pods. Belugas, Humpbacks and Bowhead whales are three of the most interesting whales.
Belugas tend to live in the Arctic, which is why they are white in color; this helps them blend into the ice. Belugas happen to also be very closely related to narwhals. Belugas are known for having a big bubble on the top of their heads. Something very cool about them is they can actually change the shape of this bubble by blowing bubbles around their nose. They are able to do this so that they can use their echolocation. Belugas are the only whales ever that are known to be able to turn their heads in any directions because their neck vertebrae are not fused together. All whales make some unique sounds, but Beluga whales got the name ‘sea canary’ because of the high-pitched squeals they are known to make.
Humpback whales are very unique whales as well. The female whale is actually larger than the male whale. Although these whales tend to not be super social, the female whales do make friends, and it has been documented that each year these whales swim across the ocean to visit one another. When these whales meet, people have observed humpbacks floating along the water together just enjoying each other’s company. Also, humpbacks swim in small pods, which have a unique song to each pod. These whales will herd fish by swimming around them and blowing bubbles to get them into a circle. Like human fingerprints, humpbacks tails are unique to each whale.
Bowhead whales are known for their longevity and ablity to live the longest of any whale species. The oldest known Bowhead whale is 211 years old and another Bowhead whale was found with a piece of weapon lodged in its flesh that was from the late 1870s These whales weigh up to 100 tons and, although enormous in size, they can fully jump out of the water. Their blubber is more than a foot thick. Bowhead whales are named after their bow-shaped mouth.
Whales are beautiful creatures. Many whales are endangered because of the pollution that is being thrown into the water as well as over-hunting. The whales need your help to make a difference in their environment.